


The Kiss

by HunterPeverell



Series: The Final Winter [3]
Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Steve Rogers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-26
Updated: 2021-01-26
Packaged: 2021-03-12 07:08:23
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 975
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29006568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HunterPeverell/pseuds/HunterPeverell
Summary: A little coda fromThe Centerthat takes place before March 10th, 2026, where Steve and Bucky share their first kiss.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Series: The Final Winter [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2032501
Comments: 4
Kudos: 12





	The Kiss

**Author's Note:**

> Have some Tuesday fluff! :D

Steve’s week had been very long and very, deeply, strange. From the sudden time skip ( _again_ ) from 2023 to 2025 to seeing a younger version of him to seeing Bucky, older and sadder ( _and it was his fault_ ), Steve was just about ready to call it quits and sleep for two days straight.

But. Well. There was something he wanted to do, now that the time-displaced Avengers were gone and Piper was on the mend.

Steve had been staying in the living room area of the small apartment over the Center. Natasha had vanished who-knows-where and Stark had returned to Manhattan with Pepper and Morgan. There was going to be a lot of paperwork in the coming days, what with Natasha and Stark coming back from the dead and Steve no longer looking like a sun-dried prune (again, seriously, what the hell).

There was a lot for Steve to mend. His relationships with Bucky, Sam, and Wanda had all suffered because of his (accidental) abandonment. He wanted to _start_ building a relationship with Addison and Piper, because clearly those two meant the world to Bucky. It didn’t surprise Steve in the slightest that, even here in the future, Bucky had found new younger sisters to dote upon, and Steve had to admit, though Piper was still vaguely hostile and Addison clearly wary of him, he was glad Bucky had people in his life who clearly cared about him.

But he had _time,_ now. He could do those things. Because he was tired and beat down, and all he wanted to do was _rest._

This place, this community, it was amazing. What Bucky had started, what he and Sam and Wanda and the others were building, it was incredible. Steve could be prouder of his friends, his family, and his only regret was that he wasn’t there to help them.

But he was glad he could stay. He was glad he could help it grow moving forward.

Now it was nighttime. Everyone had turned in who remained in the apartment. Sam had said goodnight hours ago, and the light under Wanda’s door had clicked off nearly forty minutes prior to Steve lying on the couch, looking up at the ceiling, wanting to be just ten feet to his left.

He stared at Bucky’s door. There was so much Steve wanted to talk to Bucky about, so much he wanted to discuss, so much he wanted to do with him. They had the rest of their lives, now. They could go anywhere, do anything. They could finally come home from the war, finally rest. Together.

The idea was altogether appealing.

But it wouldn’t happen, not unless Steve started telling Bucky things. The fact that Bucky had thought Steve would abandon him for a past long since lived was a failure on Steve’s end to communicate.

It wasn’t Bucky’s fault. It was Steve’s.

And only Steve could fix it.

With that in mind, Steve swung his legs off the couch and made for Bucky’s door. Once outside of it, he paused and took a deep breath. Then he squared his shoulders and knocked on Bucky’s door.

After a few seconds, the door opened, and Bucky was there, blinking at him.

“Steve,” said Bucky, sounding awake and alert even though it had to be past one in the morning.

Steve offered him a vaguely embarrassed smile and said, “I’ve been thinking.”

“Oh no,” said Bucky immediately wary.

Steve’s gut coiled with nerves, but he powered through them as he said, “Please say no, but I … I think I’d like to kiss you.”

Bucky stared at him. Then he said, “You fucking _jerk._ ”

Steve blinked. “What?”

Bucky rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. “ _I_ was going to ask you that.”

Happiness burst through Steve’s body, a smile spreading across his face. “Oh yeah? Now’s a good time.”

Bucky gave him A Look and yanked Steve forward into a kiss.

It was wonderful—Bucky’s lips were slightly chapped, but warm and moved against his _just right_ and, well, Steve’s brain honestly kind of shorted out.

“Not bad, Rogers,” Bucky muttered against his lips.

“Not so bad yourself,” Steve managed. They pulled back just slightly, just enough to look into each other’s eyes. “Been wanting to do that for … a very long time.”

“Yeah,” said Bucky, and his eyes were soft and old. “I know the feeling.”

“Can I stay with you?” Steve blurted out, then immediately flushed. “Just. Just to sleep. I don’t…”

_Want to be alone._

He could see Bucky’s urge to tease him warring with the fact that Bucky seemed to also want that very strongly. The second urge won out, and Bucky stepped back, quipping, “Only if I get to kiss you more.”

“Bed toll?” Steve asked, grinning as he entered Bucky’s room.

“Yeah,” Bucky said. He didn’t seem to be able to stop smiling, either. “Something like that.”

Bucky closed the door behind them and Steve did the only thing he could think of—he stepped forward and kissed him again.

“That enough?” Steve muttered into Bucky’s lips.

“No even close.” Bucky grinned. “Not sure how far you want to go…”

“Just sleep tonight,” Steve said, feeling as though he hadn’t slept in years. “Sorry, but I’m…”

Bucky nodded in understanding and said, “Then c’mere,” as he stepped backwards onto his bed, shuffling off to one side to make room for Steve.

Steve crawled onto the bed and was immediately set upon by Bucky the Cuddly Octopus.

“This okay?” Bucky murmured.

Steve twisted his head so he could peck Bucky on the lips. “Perfect.”

He could feel Bucky’s grin against his lips. “Sap. Go to sleep, Rogers.”

“After you,” Steve said and relaxed into Bucky’s embrace.

Soon, both their breathing had evened out and they fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, warm and safe and happy.


End file.
